I think it's been quite telling how patient Ukraine have been. I haven't come across any reports of Ukrainian police and/or their Special Forces using
the level of force like a few months back. The government are clearly frightened to use any force in case Russia use it as a pretext to invade.
Inevitably at some point they will. The government need to grow a set and use proportionate methods to stop this nonsense.

Asen, maybe you will know this and be able to give more accurate numbers, etc than Wikipedia or other sources. How many 'Special Forces' units does
Ukraine have? Are they spread out across Ukraine? How well equipped are they and what are their overall numbers?

Having seen the incredibly weak response to all of this from the west, against the overwhelming Russian military power, what else can the Ukrainians
do?

Perhaps their best move now would be unconditional surrender?

One on one against Putin's Russia would be a suicidal act of extreme futility. Not only that, it may be the strategic provocation the Russians would
use as a pretext for an all out assault and invasion.

ProfessorT
Asen, maybe you will know this and be able to give more accurate numbers, etc than Wikipedia or other sources. How many 'Special Forces' units does
Ukraine have? Are they spread out across Ukraine? How well equipped are they and what are their overall numbers?

Well dont know about the numbers, but have seen them and also been checked out by then, they are very well armed.

Having seen the incredibly weak response to all of this from the west, against the overwhelming Russian military power, what else can the Ukrainians
do?

Perhaps their best move now would be unconditional surrender?

One on one against Putin's Russia would be a suicidal act of extreme futility. Not only that, it may be the strategic provocation the Russians would
use as a pretext for an all out assault and invasion.

It is what it is.

From a personal perspective I don't think it's about numbers which rightly or wrongly I think you are hinting at as well as
the various military capabilities Russia has. Ukraine have some pretty decent bits of kit floating about. They make a lot of Russia's military
equipment which is another reason Vladimir Putin can't let go of Ukraine. Also, if Russia were to invade, NATO would respond. No-one wants war but
it's looking more likely everyday. Ukraine would need to start with air defences first, tank traps, etc.

I think there are more giveaways about just how involved Russia is in organising these protests. There is one picture circulating on Twitter showing a
male dressed in a suit seemingly joining in with the cheering crowd that is probably below him. Alongside him is a man in a balaclava and they are
both on top of the regional building in Donetsk. Who goes to a protest wearing a suit? Secondly another picture has appeared showing about 50 tyres in
a pile outside a building occupied by pro-Russian people. Where have they got these tyres from? There are also women sitting on the perimeter. This is
exactly what was happening in Crimea.

April 5, 2014 The Russian Federation has refused a U.S. request under the terms of the Vienna Document for a multilateral
consultation to explain Russia’s military buildup on the Ukrainian border, the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization for Security and
Cooperation, Ambassador Daniel Baer, said today.

The U.S. Mission, as well as other participating States, subsequently requested a joint convening of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Cooperation and
Permanent Council, which the Swiss Chair-in-Office will schedule for Monday, April 7, in the Hofburg Palace in Vienna. Such a meeting is foreseen
under the Vienna Document’s risk reduction mechanisms, to consult on unusual military activities.

Baer expressed his disappointment with Russia’s unwillingness to engage on the issue of the military buildup, which is of serious concern to the
international community. “The Russian Federation has declined an important opportunity under the Vienna Document framework to provide a credible
rationale for massing many thousands of troops on Ukraine’s borders,” Baer said.

“Russia’s ‘explanations’ to date have ranged from contradictory claims that there has been no troop buildup, to statements that Russian forces
there are engaged in routine exercises,” the U.S. Ambassador continued. “Monday's meeting will be an opportunity for OSCE participating States,
all of which are signatories of the Vienna Document, to share information and seek better explanations from the Russian Federation. Given Russia’s
recent violations of international law and their OSCE commitments, the international community is rightfully concerned by Russia’s military activity
and its effects on regional peace and security.”

Ambassador Baer will be available to all interested media after the combined FSC-PC on Monday.

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